Tips on how to Improve your Credit Record

Our credit record is the information that a lender will use to decide whether they feel they want to give us a loan. This means that it is really important to make sure that it is correct and that it is the best that it can be. You therefore need to be aware of what it says and then know how you can improve it.

It is possible to look at your credit record for free through certain companies. Do some research and find one that you trust and take a look. It is worth noting that you should never have to pay to look at it and it does not affect your credit score if you look at it.

Once you have looked at it you will be able to see whether there are things on there to improve. It could be that you have a great credit record and you have no need to do anything but this is unlikely as most people have some areas that they can improve. However, it is worth noting that different people who check your credit record are looking for different things. This means that you may have the perfect credit record for one company but not another.

It is worth checking to make sure that everything is correct. If you think that they have got something wrong then get it changed because it could make a big difference. For example, if it says you have bills outstanding which you have paid off, then by getting that altered you could really improve your rating as they will know that you are reliable with regards to paying things. If you are about to apply for anything big then it is well worth checking even if you have done it recently, just in case.

If you have no registered to vote then it is unlikely that you will get any credit. You do not have to vote of course, but once you are registered it means that potential lenders will be able to use it as an ID check. If you are not eligible to vote then you can send the three credit reference agencies proof of residency to help you to get credit. This is the only way you’ll be able to borrow money.

Do not get behind in any credit repayments because it can mean that you will not get any more. If you set up all payments by direct debit then it is much harder to miss a payment. Try to avoid going in jointly with anyone that has a poor credit record. This could mean that you should not be jointly named on a bill or account with anyone, even if they are a flat mate, as it could have a bearing on your rating. Once you are no longer together, make sure that the credit reference agencies know that this is the case and it will mean that their future credit history will not affect yours.

If you apply for lots of credit this could have a negative impact. Therefore try to do a soft search to see whether you are likely to be accepted first. This will only be visible to you and so will have no impact on your credit score. Do not apply for credit too often as the application will show on your report and if you get rejected a lot then this will not look good.

Make sure that you have no mobile phone contracts, credit cards or things like this registered to old addresses. Having lots of addresses on things in your name could make ID checking not go through properly.

One way to improve your credit rating is to use a credit rebuild cards. These are credit cards with very high interest rates for those who want to improve their rating. If you pay off the full balance each month you will not pay any interest and so the cost of it will be irrelevant. If you have a card that you do not use, you could use that instead and get the same result. You do not even have to pay that much out on it each month to benefit.

Never draw cash on your credit card. As well as being expensive a lender will see it as evidence that you are not managing your money well. The same with a payday loan, as although lenders may say it will improve your credit rating it is unlikely and many mortgage lenders will never lend money to someone who has had one as they see it as a sign of poor financial planning.

Great Ways to Increase your Income

We all like to think about what it might be like to have a higher income. We might think about what it might be like to win the lottery and what we spend the money on or how much better it would be if we had a bit extra money coming in every month. We might try to imagine what it will be like to clear our debts and be able to buy everything that we wanted. It is not possible for everyone to win the lottery and the odds of achieving this are very low. However, it is possible to increase your income and this could make a really big difference to you.

There are lots of different things that you could do to earn more money. You may think that it is impossible for you to get more, but there should be something that you can do. To start with check and see whether you are entitled to any benefits. You could check on the government website but it could be easier to speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau as they will know who to direct you to and they also will have knowledge of the different benefits and which you may be able to claim.

If you work, then it could be worth finding out whether you could earn more this way. It may be possible to get a pay rise, work some extra hours or even change jobs to one that pays more. These may be things which are unsure about so ask around in the company you work for to find out whether it is worth trying for any of these options. If you cannot find a better paid job internally then you could consider moving to a new job altogether. This is the way most people get a significant pay rise.
You might consider getting a second job to earn some extra money. Obviously this will have to fit around any current jobs you have as well as any family commitments. It may not be easy to find the time, but it is worth consideration. You may find that it could make a big difference to your income.

If you do not want to get a second conventional job or perhaps even a main conventional job then there are options for working from home. Work from home jobs are getting more popular, but it is still very tricky to find a full-time job which pays the same as a job outside of the home. However, there are opportunities to do freelance work which could help. You can pick up small or large jobs, depending on what you are interested in and it should help you to be able to get some extra income. If freelancing is not for you then you can also earn money online doing surveys, watching videos, having a try at free lotteries and even watching television programs. These things will not pay so much but they can be a fun way to get a bit of extra money.

If you have space you could consider getting a lodger, renting out a garage or attic for storage or renting out your driveway. These can be really simple ways to get some extra money. If you do have a spare room then you could consider having a b&b service, but you will need to be prepared to make breakfast for your guests.

Some people choose to start a business. There are lots of things that you could do but it is worth remembering that this could be a risk and you could find that you have to invest quite a bit of money when you first start and this may not be something that you can afford to do. A business takes up a lot of time as well and you may have to learn a lot of new things which means that you will have to be prepared to work hard, learn and spend all the hours you have putting time into it and there will be no guaranteed reward.

Another way that some people make money is by making commission on sales. This can be done in a number of different ways. Some people use catalogues, which they distribute among houses or their friends and family and then they get paid depending on how many things they sell. Some people do this online by linking to products from their website and getting commission if someone buys it as a result of this lead. It can be fun but you will need to know a bit about how to sell and be confident in selling things to others. Doing it offline will mean lots of face to face contact but doing it online will mean that you will need to understand about how to set up a website and how to guide people to looking at it.

Top Tips on How to Top up Your Savings

It can be a great feeling knowing that you have some savings behind you. Knowing that if you need money in an emergency then there is some to fall back on and you will not have to worry about getting a loan to get by. Knowing that you are building up a nest egg towards paying off a mortgage, retirement, helping your children buy a home or whatever can be a great feeling. However, it is not always easy to be able to afford to save very much money and it is worth taking a look at your finances to see whether there is anything that you can change so that you can save more.

One mistake that people make when saving money is to wait until the end of the month and put any money left in their current account into their savings. Although this is better than spending the money that is there, it is far better to put money into the savings account at the beginning of the month and then you cannot spend it as it is not available. Then you will have to think more about what you are spending and budget more carefully to ensure you do not overspend that month.

This could still mean that you are only saving little each month though as obviously, the amount that you transfer will very much depend on how much you earn and how much you spend each month. You will know how much you can afford to save and so you will make sure that you only save that much so that you have enough left to cover everything else. This could even mean that you cannot afford to save anything at all. Therefore it can really help if you do something that will enable you to save more money.

It is probably obvious that in order to do this you will need to earn more money, spend less money or do both. Trying to do both will lead to the best results, but obviously you will need to think about which will work out best for you depending on how much time you have to spend on it.

The easiest way to earn more money is to ask for a pay rise. This may be possible in certain jobs, but some will have annual reviews and pay rises will depend on performance or company profits. Do find out how to request a pay rise if you do not know and consider whether you should try to get one. Unless you have very recently got one or you are a new starter then it can be worth trying. You may also feel that you could fit in some extra hours and it could be asking if there is any extra work or overtime available. It may even be worth considering changing your job to one that is better paid or taking on a second job.

There are many other ways that you could earn extra money outside of your job as well. There are work from home opportunities, which may not always pay as much as a conventional job but could still boost your income. You could start a business, do freelance work, buy and sell items, do paid surveys, become a mystery shopper, sell catalogue items or do free lotteries. There are many opportunities out there if you are prepared to put the time in and it is worth looking at message boards online to find out about them and how you can make some extra money.

Spending less money is also something which can make a big difference as well. This is something which may sound difficult but there may be things that you can do which will not have a huge impact on your lifestyle but will make a really big difference to your bank balance. For example if you compare what you are paying for insurance, banking, mortgage, utilities, mobile phone, tv etc you could find that you can switch suppliers and save a significant amount of money without really noticing a big difference. It can take time to do the research and switch but it can be really worth it and you could save a considerable amount of money if you do it with everything.